A Night Out
by Mir N
Summary: What if Brennan had taken Angela up on her offer to go clubbing early in the series? Booth comes too and tries to make Temperance jealous.


**Disclaimer: **The following characters are the property of FOX and do not in any way belong to me. I'm just using them for fun.  
**Feedback:** Sure, why not?

Bones had the lost look of a puppy that obviously didn't know what it was doing there in the middle of all those people, he thought absently as he leaned against the bar and watched her.

She sat at the opposite end of the bar, staring vaguely into her lime-colored drink as the music swirled and pulsated around her. In fact, she seemed to be oblivious to most of the activity in the club, almost as if she were shutting out all the people and their movements.

He watched her for a while and observed Angela's attempts to lead her out on to the dance floor. He smiled slightly when he saw her stick out her lower lip adamantly and set her face in the expression that stated she wouldn't give in under any circumstances. Then, he frowned when he wondered why it was that he found that expression of hers so endearing.

When Angela had asked him to come out with them to the club earlier that day, at first he had been inclined to flat-out refuse. After all, he didn't exactly get along too well with Bones and her squints, but here he was. He didn't really know what he was doing here, but for the moment he was too interested in watching Angela attempt to coax her stubborn friend to socialize with people.

In any case, it was high time that he got out a little more. Why not seize the opportunity?

That was what he told himself, anyway.

He observed the animated conversation between the two women, and smiled slightly when Angela moved off, throwing her hands up into the air in exasperation. He himself knew that it was difficult to argue with Bones when she was in one of those stubborn moods of hers. Now she was by her lonesome once more, absently swirling her little paper umbrella through her drink with her elbow propped up on the bar and her chin shoved into her palm sulkily.

Deciding that she could use some company, he slung his jacket over his shoulder and approached her quietly. Stopping beside her, he inquired, "Can I buy you a drink?"

"No, thanks," she replied automatically, brushing a few strands of loose hair back from her face, without even looking up at him.

He slid onto the stool next to her anyway and flagged down the bartender. "Suit yourself," he told her, smirking slightly at one of the rare looks of surprise that flitted across her face when she actually looked up and acknowledged his presence.

"What're you doing here?" She asked abruptly, blinking wide eyes at him. She suddenly shoved the toothpick end of the little umbrella into her mouth and began chewing on it in confusion.

He was surprised to find that he almost felt hurt by her tone, but he pushed away the feeling and shrugged nonchalantly, "Angela invited me."

"She did what? And you came? What? How? I thought you didn't like us," she blurted, obviously caught off guard.

He liked it when she was confused, because it wasn't often that he got to see her babble like an idiot. Calmly, he intoned, "I was bored. Figured I didn't have anything better to do."

"Oh," she said, and sat back quietly. He was surprised that she didn't have more to say, and saw that she was looking rather lost and confused. She was definitely out of her element here.

"You look miserable," he told her bluntly, also remarking that for once she also possessed a vague expression of vulnerability.

"Thanks, I am," she told him quietly, continuing to gnaw on the umbrella. "Angela dragged all of us out and I'm not so sure I'm speaking to her anymore after this. If this is what clubbing is like, then I hate it."

"You'd have more fun if you mingled," he pointed out, nodding a thanks at the bartender when he received an open bottle of beer.

She rolled her eyes at him and asked pointedly, "So how come Tessa's not here with you?"

It was his turn to be taken aback by the question. Why did she have to bring up Tessa so often? What was it about his girlfriend that bothered the scientist so? "You have a crush on her or something?" He inquired, lifting one eyebrow teasingly, trying to mask the irritation that the question had evoked.

"What? No!" She retorted, settling back, obviously unable to take a joke at the moment. "Just asking."

He shrugged again, "Flying solo tonight." When she was silent, he tried to break the silence once more by inquiring, "So why aren't you dancing with the rest?" He nodded at the floor where he saw some of the other squints from the lab socializing with others.

She sighed and looked at him again, "Why do you care?"

"Just asking."

"If you have to be here, I would prefer if we could pass the time in silence," she remarked succinctly.

He briefly wondered what he had done to make her so antagonistic towards him, but he complied with her request anyway. Sometimes he wondered what it was about Bones that drew him to her, even though more often than not she tended to address him with biting remarks. He had to admit that he enjoyed arguing with her, but sometimes she tended to say truly nasty things to him and he wondered why he took them without a word of confrontation.

Maybe she was just having a bad night. After all, like he'd said, she _did_ look miserable. It was no wonder, what with all these people around her and her stated aversion to large groups.

They sat there in silence for a time, until he caught himself thinking that it had been a bad idea to have come here at all. He had only approached her because she had looked so lonely and wretched here, but as usual he had somehow managed to say the wrong thing to her and piss her off. It seemed to be a talent with him.

Then again, from time to time it annoyed him just how much she seemed to look down on him. Sometimes it seemed like she felt it just wasn't worth talking to him, especially when their conversations didn't involve work-related issues. It was almost as if because of her PhD, she didn't find him worth talking to.

Indignant by her silence and his musings, he swiveled about on his stool and surveyed the crowd in front of him. He quirked a suggestive smile in the direction of a laughing brunette who was just passing by him with a large group of her friends. She looked like she still might have been in college, but then again it was hard to tell from her height and skin-tight outfit that revealed her generous assets.

Immediately, she detached herself from the group and sauntered over to him, flipping a generous length of layered dark hair over her bare shoulder. "Buy me a drink?" She inquired, tilting her head at him suggestively.

He smiled, the reply running off his tongue smoothly, "Sure."

She hopped up beside him and crossed her legs, taking great care to make sure that her sequined skirt was hiked several more inches up her thigh. Leaning forward, she continued to twirl a lock of hair about her finger, flashing bright teeth at him and swinging her foot gently back and forth.

He could also sense that he had Bones' attention now. The scientist had sat up immediately as soon as the girl had come over, and he had a suspicion that the umbrella was probably back in her mouth by now.

Well, what did he care anyway? If Bones couldn't learn to appreciate him, then he might as well make good use of his time by flirting with some of the more attractive girls in the club. That would show her that at least _some_ women enjoyed his company.

Still, it wasn't like he cared about her good opinion anyway.

"I'm Veronica. What's your name, gorgeous?" She asked him, her voice colored by a high and playful lilt. She didn't hide the fact that she was looking over every inch of him appreciatively, and she smirked gently over her drink.

"Seeley," he replied calmly in answer to her question, obviously looking as well, and rather hoping that Bones would notice. And after all, it was hard not to look, what with the amount of chest that she was intent on showing him as leaned ever more forward.

"That's a funny name," she told him, giggling lightly again. She took another sip of her drink and asked, "So what's a guy like you doing all by your lonesome here?"

He shrugged, not really caring that her conversation was rather generic at best. "Just passing the time," he told her, resting his cheek against his hand. "What about you?"

She moved forward, "I was in college here, but I decided that it's _so_ not my scene. So now I'm just looking for some fun and something to pass the time too." Smiling ever more widely, she brushed a hand up against his leg and moved even closer to him.

"Well, I suggest you look elsewhere," a third voice joined the conversation.

He was surprised when he saw Bones step around him and place her hands on her hips accusingly as she stared down the ex-college girl.

Veronica bristled instantly. "Who're you?"

The scientist crossed her arms over her chest defensively, "You might want to think about doing something useful with your time. Like going back to college, for instance."

Veronica stood back up, figuring it was an advantage since she was taller than the other woman. "You should've told me your girlfriend was here," she snapped at Booth. Then she turned back to Bones, "And as if you have a PhD or anything."

"Actually -- ."

"_Bones_." Booth decided that it would be prudent to interject at this point, before she caused any more of a scene. He stood up and guided her away from the bar and away from the angry Veronica.

He couldn't deny the definite sense of pleasure that he felt on account of Bones' actions. In fact, he had liked the sensation of Bones putting a hand on his shoulder and warning the girl off. It almost brought a smile to his face.

When they were out in the relative quiet of the street, he turned back to the scientist, who was still glaring at him.

"_What_ was that?" She demanded angrily, eyeing him hotly. "And what have I told you about calling me 'Bones'? I have a name, you know."

Booth was grinning inwardly, although he hardly knew why. "Do I detect a note of jealousy?" He queried innocently.

"What? _No_!" She retorted, shaking her head. "But in another minute, that girl would've draped herself all over you."

"So? Is it that hard for you to believe that some women actually find me attractive?"

"You're such a man," she hissed at him accusingly. "You should've seen yourself practically falling into her cleavage."

"So I'm a guy. It's what we do."

"Well, what about Tessa?" Bones shot back, stressing the name. She gave him that smugly superior look suddenly, daring him to refute the implication in her statement.

"There's no harm in a bit of flirting," he informed her, shaking his head. "You should try it some time."

His amusement had switched to irritation. It was always like this with them. One minute they would be laughing or teasing each other, and in the next, somehow they would be wanting to scratch each others eyes out. And it wasn't really any of her business what was going on between Tessa and him anyway.

He tried not to think about the fact that he had briefly forgotten the attorney while he tried to make Bones jealous. Actually, he was just trying not to acknowledge that he had even attempted to make her jealous.

"You have no shame," Bones informed him affectedly.

"And I don't really see how it's any of your business," he returned defensively. "What do you care, anyway?"

"I don't!" She shot back, all too quickly. "It was just the way that tramp was behaving."

He sighed, stretching as he slipped his jacket back over his shoulders and shoved his hands into his pockets as he searched for his keys. "Don't worry, Bones. I'm glad you're around to keep me from the path of moral ambiguity."

"You are?" She asked, genuinely confused once again. "Wait, you're going?"

"Yeah," he told her. "I should be getting home."

She didn't say it, but he practically saw the words '_to Tessa'_ flash through her mind. It almost made him smile again.

But instead of asking him about his girlfriend again, she said instead, "So why did you decide to stop by tonight? Was it really just to see me in all my misery?"

He shook his head with a smile and shrugged, "Just thought that you might want some company. Besides, I like talking to you. When you don't feel like shoving that PhD in my face, that is."

"I do not -- ."

He gave her a look.

They stood there for a time, letting silence descend once again. He caught himself smiling at her, liking the way that confusion was still etched across her face. He was pretty sure that she was taken aback by his confession that he enjoyed her company, although he wondered if she felt the same.

"Wait, so you like being around me?" She asked, as if she had been puzzling over it all this time.

She could be so dense sometimes. It was rather winning, actually.

Instead of answering, he dangled his car keys and asked, "You need a ride home?"

She shook her head and frowned, "No, I'm fine. I shouldn't really leave without telling Angela and the others."

He nodded, "All right. See you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah." For a moment, it looked like she was about to say something else, but then she decided against it. "See you."

"'Night, Temperance."

Still frowning slightly, she disappeared back inside the club.

Booth stood alone on the street corner for a time, staring down at the ground and twirling his keys in his hand. He knew that he should be getting home, since it was late and Tessa would be waiting for him.

Trouble was, he felt guilty and he wasn't even sure why.


End file.
